


Once Again

by Lunnashh



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 19:56:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13795158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunnashh/pseuds/Lunnashh
Summary: As much as affection blooms for you in my heart, as much as my eyes are blinded. I hope this is remembered for a long time. Again and again. With you, once again.





	Once Again

**Author's Note:**

> Kinda a companion fic to my other Jaeyong fic, Pandora: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7348726/chapters/16693837
> 
> A tribute to their 1st album that made my summer burn so lit and be needing Firetruck. BOII THIS IS SO LATE UGH I've started this like early last year but I couldn't seem to continue it & I didn't know where to go...I'm excited for their BOSS comeback & somehow my Jaeyong heart is?? in full bloom again?? w0w icb...I just hope I can finish more of my wips and fill those Jaeyong & Johnjae tags hehe do check my previous works if you have time! Hope you enjoy^^
> 
> The sentences in italics are lyrics of Once Again that I tweaked a bit. Also should I do another chapter for  
> the song Firetruck? My main idea for that song is actually *whispers* Jaeyong's first time as in  
> *cough* /first time/eheheheueh

 

_ The season already resembles you. The sun, the waves, they all rise higher every day. _

 

 

"Do you like summer?" Jaehyun was swinging his legs down the side of the raggedy car roof he was sitting on. His crisp white shirt looked out of place in this godforsaken junkyard, also a juxtaposition to his leathery black pants and pointy boots and dark red smoldering eyeshadows. He looked even more out of place when he was showing his goody-two-shoes smile of his.

"Well...it's nice," Taeyong pondered over his answer. His jeans sleeveless jacket itched a little bit. Couldn't help but noticing the makeshift choker around Jaehyun's neck was the same as the one around his wrist. "Tasty food, fun festivals, air's kinda dry but at least not too hot nowadays."

Taeyong sent him a questioning look. Still trying to get used to a Jaehyun with (nearly) half his hair shaved off. Gone was the boy with his fluffy brown hair. 

"Why? You like summer?"

Jaehyun shrugged, hitting his heels against the bumper in a rythm of thumpthumpthump. Sweat was forming on his temples so Jaehyun fanned his hands, flapping his dangling sleeves around. "Don't you think Winwin's hair looks like an ice cream? I really want some ice cream right now."

"Later, Jaehyunnie. Now why don't you get down so you won't give anyone a heart attack?" Taeyong stretched his arms towards Jaehyun who was actually a few good feet above the ground because the car was above piles of metal scraps and whatnots.

"But I can see the others from here," Jaehyun squinted. "Doesn't Yuta-hyung's hair look like ramen?"

"Yeah, and he doesn't like it," Taeyong beckoned with his fingers almost impatiently. "C'mon, Jaehyun."

Jaehyun hummed, relenting. He had to step around some scraps before he was level enough to hop down to the ground, bumping into Taeyong's open arms. He let Taeyong dust off some unseen dirt before musing, "I'm actually more of a winter kinda guy."

"Oh? But you strike me as a summer enthusiast," because Jaehyun was bright, flavorful, and splashing colors and not a single day you'd look up to a bleak grey sky.

"Really? Why?" Jaehyun prompted.

Taeyong silently took Jaehyun's hand and trailed back to the direction of the crews.

 

 

_ Without a word I was beside you. I never left this spot. I wonder if you know about my heart. _

 

 

Their stage costume didn't make sense--too many layers and clashing color and even if the colors weren't hurting Taeyong's eyes, the coarse fabric of his jean jacket was itching like hell. Not to mention it was hot as hell--they were lucky the stage was indoor. It'd be nice too if he could get all the luck in this world so that they could execute their debut stage perfectly. It wasn't just Yuta, Winwin, or Haechan who was nervous. All of them were, despite having already experienced being on stage a few months prior in the U team. If NCT U was edgy and sophisticated, 127 team's concept was a bunch of punks wreaking havoc.

Judging from the cheers and awe from the audience, they'd nailed it pretty well. Maybe this trap music genre with a touch of aggressive siren noises had a future after all and they wouldn't have to worry about having to cater to public's taste.

"Oh, your mic's not working," Yuta pointed out when it was Jaehyun's turn to greet their fans, after having done their performance.

Jaehyun, the dense thing he was, landed his gaze on Taeyong's mic and surged forward, slightly bumping his nose against Taeyong's cheek. Taeyong nearly combusted inside and it wasn't fair how Jaehyun merely laughed sheepishly and proceeded to talk--so closely Taeyong could feel his breath--into his borrowed microphone. Cheerful and eloquent as ever.

 

 

"Nervous? Our Jaehyunnie is nervous?" Taeyong chuckled in adoration, hand absentmindedly stroking the side of Jaehyun's jaw. He wanted to twirl the dangling chain from Jaehyun's red cap, but alas, he refrained because they were currently filming a vlive.

"I am! My legs are shaking," Jaehyun said indignantly, making a point by wobbling his knees.

Later, when the camera's turned off and they were preparing for their actual fansign, when Jaehyun was no longer pestering Winwin to give him his fake signed paper, Taeyong approached him. "Hey...We are all nervous, it's okay, but I'm sure you'll do just fine," Taeyong was the leader so it was his responsibility to make sure the members were all cared for. 

At the back of his mind, Taeyong knew that whether he was leader or not, he'd care for Jaehyun with all his might.

"You're nervous?" Jaehyun asked him, his tone somewhat implying that he didn't expect Taeyong to be.

"Of course I am," Taeyong looked at him incredulously. 

Jaehyun stole a glance at Taeyong, immediately averting his eyes when Taeyong's met his. He tucked his chin down and curled his lips softly, a tic Taeyong recognized as him being shy or embarrassed about something. 

“What is it?” Taeyong urged, but Jaehyun just ducked his head and left to pester Winwin around.

Taeyong let him be, a small smile too blooming on his face.

__

 

_ As much as affection blooms for you in my heart, as much as my eyes are blinded. I hope this is remembered for a long time. Again and again. With you, once again.  _

 

 

"I hate leather pants," Jaehyun mumbled under his breath. This time they too were blessed with the aircon in the music program studio, but outdoor stages wouldn't be so forgiving, what with the peak of July's sweltering heat.

"Tell that to coordi-noona and she's going to shave the rest of your hair off," Yuta was yawning wide, slouched on the couch and mouth hanging open like a dog.

Jaehyun ignored him and kept fussing over his clothes. A cap hiding his hair, a black hoodie, and an orange leather pants. His tummy kept being flashed around whenever Jaehyun so much as lifted his arms.

"Is our Jaehyunnie working out?" Haechan teased him.

"I'm not," Jaehyun tucked his hoodie down, blushing indignantly. It was the truth though, Jaehyun was as bad of a couch potato as Ten was.

"It's where he keeps his breadloafs," Yuta said in a matter of factly. "You stole Mark's bread again today, didn't you?"

"I only asked for a bite..." Jaehyun protested weakly, pouting and seeking confirmation from Mark who just waved his hand weakly. "Right, Mark?"

"No problem, bro," either it was a row of bad luck streaks but Mark seemed to always get the most horrific layer combinations for his stage costumes. The kid never protested, though.

Jaehyun, though. No matter how outrageous his outfits were, he always looked good. Either Taeyong was biased or his face truly was a saving grace.

He looked good in a plain white oversized shirt. He looked good in a coulot. He looked good in that one weird outfit where had to wear a headband and a grey, pattern shirt and what could be categorized as a skirt. Yuta had joked that he looked like a samurai. He looked like a prince in a pink hanbok, radiant when he and Taeyong had to do a quick shoot for chuseok. He even looked good in tanks and a freaking mesh shirt, leaving little to the imagination (too much). By now, Taeyong was sure he'd look good in practically nothing.

But let's not go there.

 

 

_ Although we separated as soon as my heart fluttered. On a summer day where the wind blows, I wonder if you’ll remember me _ . 

 

 

"A bit crowded here," Taeil observed the current mess they were in, a dozen plus teenagers in the practice room miling around on bright-colored hoverboards, some doing acrobatic stunts and some barely able to balance themselves.

"Oh, excuse me," Mark apologized when his butt collided with Chenle's head, making the youngest of their bunch stumble backwards. Renjun laughed at them.

"Hyungs should do some stunts! Try the handstand!" Haechan was being mischievous as usual. 

"Is there any guarantee that no one would crack his head open?" Jaemin said. The Dream kids did practice for weeks before they could master the art of...hovering. With the hoverboards.

"No. But we have insurance, don't we?" Winwin put his own two cents, somehow looking at the staffs and managers behind the cameraman for assurance.

“Can someone tell me why are they called hoverboards when they don't even hover?” Yuta stared at the one beneath his feet accusingly.

"I want to try!" Taeil, the ever gullible hyung, actually trusted Haechan when he was told that  _ it'll be a piece of cake _ . Chenle quietly muttered  _ piece of cake my ass _ , but in Chinese, so no one but Renjun and Winwin noticed him.

“Me too!” Jaehyun raised his hand excitedly. 

"Okay, we’ll stand by beside you," the others begin to disperse to Taeil’s and Jaehyun's side, preparing to catch the two daring members lest they lose their balance. A precaution so nobody would break their nose or something. It'd be bad for the vlive views.

“On one, two...three!” Mark whipped his hand to immitate a flag as a signal. Both Jaehyun and Taeil began to bend their bodies then lifted their legs, forming a pretty solid hanstand. The uneven hoverboard, instead of the floor, was the element of novelty here so they kinda got wobbly.

Taeyong, volunteering to hold Jaehyun's feet steady, had first row seat to the view beneath Jaehyun's bright yellow hoodie.

"I can see your tummy," Taeyong blurted, nearly getting hit by Jaehyun's flailing feet. It was soft and pale like a kitten's underbelly. Cute. He could see the forming abs too...but still, mostly cute.

"Hyung," Jaehyun whined, arms trembling because his behind was unbalanced, “’M gonna fall…”

"It's okay, I got you. I got you," when Mark finished counting to three again, Taeyong slowly lowered Jaehyun's feet to the ground. Beside them, Taeil was cheering the loudest for himself for a job well done.

“Well, that was fun,” Jaehyun grinned, face slightly flushed from all the blood rushing to his head. 

__

 

_ If I were to say one more thing, that moment was not a coincidence. People call it love, but I'll just call it you. Like this season that has returned, let’s go to that summer noon. _

 

 

"Does Hawaii have jellyfishes? Or manta rays? Or like, sharks?" Jaehyun wondered outloud as he strolled in front of a rack of swimming trunks. He picked up a bright neon yellow one and showed it to Taeyong, who scrunched his nose until Jaehyun got the point and put it back.

"Hundreds of people come to that beach everyday, it'll be safe to swim there," Taeyong didn't know shit about Hawaii and its beaches. As far as he knew, if their company was willing to book the whole goddamn sea-side hotel for their anniversary and so-called vacation, then it was safe to assume that it was...safe.

"Aren't these cute?" Jaehyun was already changing the topic, holding up a friendly-looking Lochness floatie in his hand, a Hello Kitty one in the other.

"You're not buying them," the corner of Taeyong's eyes caught Yuta and Ten--those insufferable brats--approaching the bikini section while snickering behind their hands. Taeyong added distractedly, "And put those back to the kid section, Jaehyun-ah."

"What about the donut one?" but Taeyong was already too far, hurrying his steps to snatch a speedo from Haechan's hand. Mark was wearing three goggles on his face and nearly tripped over a mannequin.

When they met up at the cashier, Jaehyun was holding a floral orange floatie in his arms. Taeyong imagined Jaehyun wearing it, drifting and paddling in the water like a puppy, and couldn't stop himself from smiling. He ended up paying for it.

Hawaii was miles away across the continents. They had a red-eye flight and there was a crick in Taeyong's neck by the time they touched down. The only thing stopping Taeyong from instantly falling asleep on the enticing queen bed in their shared hotel room was Jaehyun jumping in excitement from the mere sight of the beach.

"Why aren't you excited?" Jaehyun was already changing into his brand new rash guard and swimming trunks. "There's the sun, the sea, and the sand!"

"There's also the sheet," Taeyong added, stroking said bedding that smelled like his favorite laundry detergent.

"Come on you lazy bum," Jaehyun laughed and kissed Taeyong's forehead and that in itself was enough to rouse him from bed. 

Doyoung kept fussing over their skin, slathering sunscreen all over their limbs and face until Ten had to stop him from emptying the bottle in one go. Taeil had at first offered to just stay on the sidelines and guard their belongings, until Yuta exclaimed that he had found a jellyfish and then the eldest jumped headfirst into the water (although turns out it was sadly just a plastic bag). Haechan and Mark were the first to run off,  returning moments later soaked from top to bottom because they kept pushing at each other and slipping on the water. The other artists and staffs from the company could be found miling about, too, enjoying the short workshop-turned-getaway. At one point Taeyong saw someone who looked like Winwin jumping off a jetski but he couldn't be sure.

"Look!" one moment Jaehyun was beside him, afloat and letting the sea wave sway his body, the next he was upside down with his butt sticking out that Taeyong was afraid he'd drowned.

"Yah, lift your arms," when Jaehyun resurfaced, Taeyong dunked the orange floatie onto Jaehyun's head. A safety measure, because Jaehyun kept swimming further away from the beach, "Stop swimming too far. Do you want the sea witch to snatch you?"

"But I found a pretty seashell again," Jaehyun proudly brandished a small shell, pearly white and reflecting the lights into rainbow colors. "Here, for you. It's white like your hair."

Taeyong couldn't help but sigh fondly at the younger's insistence. He put the tiny thing in his pocket along with half a dozen others Jaehyun had given him from his impromptu treasure hunt. He was just glad that his swimming trunks’ pockets had buttons.

"Pretty,” Jaehyun's eyes turned into slits, from both the beaming sunlight and the glee, as he tugged Taeyong's hand along beneath the water. 

 

 

_ Under the sun that one summer. We’re standing, staring at each other with no shade to escape the light, no place to escape the rain. _

 

 

“Why did you want me in Mad City?” Jaehyun had asked one time, the night before they were scheduled to record said song in the studio.

The song itself was written during their time as rookies, Mark still feeling his way around and Taeyong still harboring fear and contempt somewhere. They barely started their career but this song--it was an outlet for Taeyong. Where it was acceptable to spit fire and curse, in a way.

Jaehyun wasn't a rapper. His voice was too soft and melodious--he was too soft to even  _ curse _ . Everyone knew that.

“I mean, you and Mark are great at rap. And I'm just...me,” Jaehyun shrugged, uncertainty radiating off of him in waves.

“Exactly,” Taeyong huffed, pulling Jaehyun closer so he could lay his head on Jaehyun's shoulder. “You're just you. That's...more than enough for me.”

Jaehyun wanted to pull back to give a dubious stare, but Taeyong held his grip firm. “Lee Taeyong--”

“Shut up, I mean, the producers said your voice would be a great addition too, so--”

Jaehyun grinned, pressing a kiss to Taeyong's flushing ears instead. “You are so silly.”

“Yeah, I know. I think I was too biased,” Taeyong rolled his eyes, hiding his face further in the juncture of Jaehyun's neck.

“Can you imagine if we have to perform the song live?” Jaehyun stifled a laugh. “I'll be there, on stage, gathering as much swag to sing my part for 10 seconds and then I'll just...stand there awkwardly! Doing the bare minimum!”

“The fans won't complain having your pretty face on stage.”

“Did you just call me pretty?”

“You call me cute every other day, so no complaining,” Taeyong countered.

“I know,” Jaehyun giggled, “Lee Taeyong and Lee Minhyung. Do you think I should change my surname too?”

“That'll be nice,” Taeyong cackled, imagining a Lee Jaehyun in front of him.

Imagining a Jaehyun who'd always be with him, day by day. Wasn't too far-fetched.

“Yeah, I like the sound of that,” perhaps it was still too early imagining them exchanging vows and living under the same roof.

 

But Taeyong's a dreamer, and he makes his dreams come true.

 

 

_ In the night sky, the stars are shining for you. I make a heart fluttering confession to you _

 

 

_ ~*~ _

**Author's Note:**

> First started: 7 January 2017  
> Finished: 25 February 2018
> 
> Find me on twitter @ lunnashh & let's spazz nct together~~


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